Director of Learning Innovation and Strategy Mary Elizabeth Smith led session on improving student engagement in competency-based learning models

University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Mary Elizabeth Smith, M.Ed., director, Learning Innovation and Strategy, joined the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) conference, CBExchange, November 9-13 in Phoenix, AZ, a leading conference on competency-based education. Smith led the session, “Improving a CB Model: Onboarding, Refining the New Student Experience, and Overcoming isolation,” on November 12, 2024.

“Competency-based models and a more self-directed learning experience are enticing to independent-minded working adults,” states Smith. “They might not be thinking about engagement or community building, but these aspects can enrich their experience and enhance professional networking opportunities. Our continuous quality improvement approach to these programs allows us to make the necessary adjustments to enhance the experience of our learners along the way and it’s great to share those insights with the education community.”

CBExchange is the annual gathering of innovators in education, policy, research, and ed tech meet to share best practices and the latest developments in competency-based education (CBE).

The session Smith led helped attendees learn about the actionable results of the University’s four competency-based programs’ continuous quality improvement initiative. It detailed insights gained from in-depth research revealing student perspectives and unveiling opportunities for improving student onboarding, curriculum enhancements, faculty practices, and the integration of a social learning platform for community building and professional networking.

Smith is part of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) Program team, that were named winners of the Catalyst Award for Teaching & Learning in 2023. Earlier this year, Smith co-authored a University of Phoenix white paper describing how a skills-aligned ecosystem provides a vehicle to help students realize the power of their education more quickly and efficiently by validating skill acquisition throughout their educational journey.

Smith is the Director of Learning Innovation Strategy in the Center for Teaching and Learning at University of Phoenix and previously served as the Research and Implementation Strategist and the Director of Curriculum Development. For over 30 years, Smith’s career in education has included working in curriculum development, learning design, faculty development, faculty, and e-learning roles for four universities and several community colleges as well as two educational software companies. She holds a bachelor’s in Speech Communication and Journalism from Southern Illinois University and an M.Ed. in Educational Media and Computers from Arizona State University.

University of Phoenix recently celebrated the significant milestone of more than three thousand graduates from its competency-based degree programs: Master of Business Administration (MBA-CB), Master of Health Administration (MHA-CB), Master of Information Systems (MIS-CB) and RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN-CB) degree programs, all of which are intended to leverage students’ real-world skills and knowledge to accelerate learning and degree completion in the classroom with the support of practitioner faculty.

Learn more about competency-based programs at University of Phoenix here.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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